GENERAL SANTOS CITY, July 28 — Police arrested at least 40 alleged illegal gambling operators and workers here in the last two weeks in connection with their renewed crackdown against “all forms of illegal gambling activities.” Sr. Supt. Romeo Ruel Berango, acting city police director, said Friday the suspects were nabbed during the 23 operations that they have launched in line as part of the intensified campaign.
He said the campaign was among the top operational directives he issued after being designated as officer-in-charge of the city police office two weeks ago.
The move was in compliance with orders from the Philippine National Police central office and the Police Regional Office-12.
“The arrested suspects comprised operators, bettors, couriers and other persons involved in various illegal gambling activities like last two, tari-tari and even hantak,” Berango said in a press briefing.
The police official said they confiscated some P14,505 in bet money that were used in the filing of 23 cases against the suspects.
“Tari-tari” is local term for the illegal neighbourhood cockfights while “hantak” is a popular street illegal gambling play using coins.
“Last two” is an illegal numbers game where the winning combination is derived from the last two digits of the winning number combination of the daily lotto draw of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
Police had noted that some authorized PCSO lotto outlets in the city double as “last two” betting stations.
Berango said he has ordered the city eight police precincts or stations to continue with their intensified operations against illegal gambling.
“This is just the start. We will not stop until we rid the city of illegal gambling operations, including financiers and other involved personalities,” he said.
At the start of the campaign, operatives raided various Small Town Lottery or STL outlets that are operated by PCSO franchisee Trento Gaming Corp.
The city council had ruled that STL operations in the city are illegal as it had not issued a permit or authority for it as provided for in the city charter.
But Berango said they were told by local PCSO officials that the agency’s central office has authorized Trento to operate the STL in the city.
Owing to this, he said they temporarily stopped the raids against STL outlets pending clarification on the matter from the PNP legal affairs division. (AVE/PNA)